SPORTY: MAZDA MX-5

Why we love it: The wonderful thing about sports cars is how good they make you feel, even when you’re not driving them. The only issue is the enormous price tag of (usually) more than $100,000.

There is, however, one exception: Mazda’s much-loved MX-5. Sure, it’s so tiny that you really need to be close friends with whoever’s in the passenger seat (they’re virtually in your lap). But its price is a great distraction, starting at just $31,990.

MX-5s offer the kind of driving fun that makes you involuntarily gasp with laughter. A combination of lightweight, sharp steering, a low centre of gravity and the power being fed to the rear wheels alone makes this car a tactile joy to flow around corners.

Look out for: The folding hard-top roof in the RF version – it’ll provide protection from hailstones or sharp-object-wielding thieves, rather than the traditional cloth-top. Arguably, it looks even better, but will cost you $4000 more.